Europe accelerates push for payment independence from Visa and Mastercard

The European Union has accelerated its push to reduce its dependence on US-based payment giants Visa and Mastercard. Brussels is increasingly concerned that these systems could be utilized as tools of geopolitical leverage by Washington.

According to a report by the Financial Times, citing Martina Weimert, CEO of the European Payments Initiative (EPI), the market dominance of American firms poses a significant strategic risk should transatlantic relations deteriorate. Weimert stated that this reality has transformed the creation of a Europe-based payment system into a “priority for all of Europe.”

Visa and Mastercard control the majority of the euro zone market

Data from the European Central Bank (ECB) reveals that in 2022, approximately two-thirds of all card payments within the euro zone were processed through Visa and Mastercard. Currently, 13 EU member states lack their own alternative payment infrastructure.

In countries where local systems do exist, their usage rates are reportedly in steady decline. ECB Executive Board member Piero Cipollone previously emphasized that Europe must avoid remaining overly dependent on systems outside its direct control.

Wero app marks Europe’s first tangible response to Apple Pay

As a primary step in this strategy, the EPI launched “Wero” in 2024, a mobile payment service positioned as a direct competitor to Apple Pay. Weimert reported that Wero has already reached approximately 48.5 million users across Belgium, France, and Germany.

The system is slated to expand its reach to include both online and in-store retail payments by 2027. This move is regarded as one of Europe’s most significant technological challenges to US dominance in the retail payment market.

Digital euro project moves forward under the shadow of geopolitical tensions

Europe’s long-term solution lies in the digital euro project, which the ECB plans to introduce by 2029. Aurore Lalucq, Chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs, noted that a digital currency could serve as the foundation for a full-fledged European alternative to Visa or Mastercard.

However, Martina Weimert warned that escalating geopolitical tensions might make the project’s timeline too slow to address immediate risks. “The main problem with the digital euro is that it will only become available in several years, likely after Donald Trump’s presidency,” Weimert noted.